Page 81 of Journey to the Scottish Highlands

I accepted them gratefully and laughed. ‘But it’s only a half hour drive.’

Louise shrugged. ‘You never know if you’ll get held up in traffic.’

‘The worst she’ll come across is being stuck behind a bloody tractor,’ commented Evan.

Louise gave him a withering look.

When I reached Evan, I felt like I was a rag doll standing there, with him looking down at me. ‘Thank you for giving me a lift that day.’

‘Er. Yes. Of course. You’re welcome.’ My voice was thick. This could very well be the last time I saw him.

I tried to appear nonchalant. ‘And once again, thank you for stopping me from getting sacked.’

Evan nodded his dark head. ‘Don’t mention it.’ He stuffed his hands in his jean’s pockets. ‘I’ll start reading the journal now.’

‘Good. You’ll find it’s a sad but compelling read.’

We both stood there, eyes locked. It was as if the rest of the world had melted away.

I spun on my heel, my face stinging with pink, and jumped into Marlene’s open driver side door. I clanged it shut and whirled the car around. It seemed like there were so many unexpressed emotions just now between us. It was as if both of us wanted to say something but didn’t have the bravery to do it.

I was crunching over the gravel, heading towards the main road, when I caught sight in my rear-view mirror of Dane, who had come bounding out of The Ramblings and was performing some kind of frantic, weird semaphore. I pulled up.

What did he want?

I switched off the car engine and clambered out.

‘What’s he doing?’ I heard Evan ask Alison. ‘He’s usually still in bed at this time.’

But Dane was striding towards me in his faded jeans and olive-green Iron Maiden T-shirt. ‘Daisy.’

‘Have I forgotten something?’

He shook his head. For the first time, he looked self-conscious; nervous even. The rocker swagger was gone. He studied his cowboy boots for a long time. ‘I wanted to apologise for just now. I was an utter twat.’

I eyed him. ‘Yes. You were.’

‘I was out of order.’

‘Yep. That too.’

His solemn face broke into a tiny echo of a smile, and I couldn’t help but smile along with him.

I could see Evan watching us through narrowed eyes.

Dane shrugged and glanced up at the pearly clouds for a few moments, before looking back at me. ‘Maybe I needed someone to tell me what was what. I’ve been walking around with my inflated ego for too long.’

I was about to say something, but the words evaporated as Dane reached out and took my right hand in his. What was he doing? With his gaze fixed on me, he lifted my hand and let his lips graze the top of it. ‘Thank you. I mean it. That was what I needed. Some home truths. I just didn’t realise it.’

Evan’s face was blazing with something just a few feet behind us.

Talk about shocked. I was gobsmacked.

It took me a few moments to recover myself. Well, well. Maybe I had got through to Dane after all. I lowered my hand. ‘You’re welcome. And I’m sorry I was so rude.’

‘Like I said, it’s what I needed,’ Dane assured me. ‘Straight talking. I’m used to folks agreeing with me; sycophants going along with my suggestions all the time.’ He continued to look down into my eyes, searching them. Was he ok? A strange look travelled over his face, which I’d never seen before. I wasn’t sure if Dane was going to say anything else. He continued to linger there. He pushed some hair back behind one ear, making the silver rings on his hand glint in the sunshine.

To try and lighten the moment, I teased him. ‘Ok. This is weird. What have you done with the real Dane Lord?’